Did you know that ERSU – Evangelical Reformed Seminary of Ukraine – is expanding?
Here are some pictures of the new seminary building. The school will continue to operate with the module system drawing students for a short, intensive class experience. But, make no mistake about it this is an excellent school with devoted staff who are training ministry students in the Biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek and they are anchoring them in solid Reformed theology.
Permit me two examples. I offered an elective class session on Calvin’s Institutes highlighting Calvin’s teaching on the Church, the call and character of the minister, and the nature of preaching. Seemed like a good idea to me! After all, that was more coverage of the Institutes than I have seen in some recent seminary graduates here in North America. But, these students had already studied all of that material and more in their class on Ecclesiology, (the study of the Church).
Second, while listening to a “model sermon” as one of the components to the three-legged stool format, I noticed a student following along in his Greek Bible! Suddenly, he looked up, confused. His finger was scanning the text up and down. I sensed his query and tapped my pen on the main verb (that I only happened to know from reviewing the passage the night before). Then I pointed to the two dependent clauses. He laughed and circled the second dependent clause with a pencil and drew an arrow to the position above the main verb. Then he lightly put an “x” through the text. Yep, the nameless preacher had missed the Greek grammar and made a dependent clause the main point – and he got caught by a careful student!
How many errors did this same student find when I preached?! But the point is there: ERSU is training these men very well. They are highly trained, competent, servants prepared to serve the Lord of the Russian speaking Church in a variety of locations. Humbling, very humbling! But, O SO EXCITING!
ERSU’s new home
Dining Room
Library with study space
Faculty lounge and study
[and you see evidence of a Ukraine construction tradition. Workers typically live on site once the structure is enclosed. Seems no one was loading. Alister was pleased with the progress the dry-wallers and heating experts had made since his previous visit]
Oh, yes, the dormitory bath:
Please contact: ITEM.org if you might be able to help fund the final steps of building construction.
ITEM Ride-Along 